Martial arts doesn't build character, it reveals it ?!

Angus · Black Belt

I also find that a lot of kids who are learning are there because their parents want them to be. it may sometimes be the parents' dream that the kid is living out. I see many kids at my current dojo who really don't put in the effort cos karate isn't their thing. Yet they are up near the brown belt level with no dedication. It's really sad...

Angus

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Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear, not absence of fear.

Joecooke007 · Brown Belt

I think that the quote is true and not true. When I started martial arts I found the intense aggresive yet fluent side of me that I had never seen before. But I have watched as my self-esteem, and confidence has grown through my training. Karate has made me a better person.

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Boards don't hit back.
-Bruce Lee

SaiFightsMS · KF VIP

In discussing this topic in terms of tradition different responses and opinions are drawn as compared to those discussing from more nonstructured learning environments.

The way we think of learning martial arts now is very different from how it was learned at the turn of the previous century. When life was harder and training required a sacrifice.

Anything that one follows with enough passion to sacrifice for will impart some character. Or maybe the more one sacrifices the more superfluous parts of the character are chipped away.

Jiggy9 · Purple Belt

I think that Karate definately has the potential to build character or realise youre true character, but I think that alot of it depends on where you learn..

If you take a brief moment's look at the history of Karate, you'd probably find that it has alot more to do with becoming a better person mentally and physically then actually fighting. As a matter of fact, actually fighting somone in Karate is seen as the very last resort.

But how much a student of Karate comprehends this - in my opinion is dependant on the dojo. Because some teachers never mention these sort of things, some do..Some incooperate character building excersises, some don't.

For example, I once attended classes where one lesson, the sensei sat us down with a bottle infront of us. In the bottle he placed a pen top - and he said to us...take the pen top out without touching the bottle...Then he walked out..

And so we were sitting there trying to understand how to do it...it wasnt a while until someone realised that he had left a bottle of water in the corner...(learning to be observant of youre surroundings) and even longer before we realised what to do with the water bottle...(using our resources to our best possible use) The only way it was possible to take the pen top out of the bottle was to pour water into it and allow the pen top to float. It taught us in order to obtain anything out of life we have to put something into it.

As far as i think, Karate is , as one analogy goes, removing layers of paper covering the lightbulb to find the light, realising youre true self. But nowadays i think more and more the art is bieng lost.

Karateka · Red Belt

Karate has the ability to change character. You can be humbled, praised, insulted, etc. That can all change your attitude. As for the bowing. It is a sign of respect. Karate is not about beating the crap out of people. It is a way of life. It is a philosophy. It is a guide. The doctrines that can be followed in a dojo are doctrines that can be followed in real life.

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"Never hit a man while he's down; kick him, its easier"

Sensei Ron Bagley (My Sensei)

moobrack · Black Belt

Finally somebody who is on the dsame wavelength as me......%100 agree with you karateka

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Anthony Bullock
1st Dan Black Belt - Shotokan Karate
5th Kyu Yellow Belt - Aiki-Jutsu
www.universaldojo.com Coming Soon

jakmak52 · Green Belt

Chicken or the egg

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Best regards,
Jack Makinson

Karateka · Red Belt

Egg. Eggs have been around for millions of years, back to the dinosaurs. Chickens are new on the evolutionary scale.

_________________
"Never hit a man while he's down; kick him, its easier"

Sensei Ron Bagley (My Sensei)

moobrack · Black Belt

Hitotsu. Jinkaku Kansei ni Tsutomuro Koto
(seek perfection of character)

This is the first precept of shotokan karate and I presume other arts.This is 1 way of proving that martial arts both build character and reveal it.

_________________
Anthony Bullock
1st Dan Black Belt - Shotokan Karate
5th Kyu Yellow Belt - Aiki-Jutsu
www.universaldojo.com Coming Soon

kicker · Black Belt

well i think it might develope a bit it all depends how much you train and are changing

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when you do your best it`s going to show.
"If you watch the pros, You will learn something new"

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